Flexible dispensing nozzle for use in an automatic bag filling machine



April 21, 1970 B. G. JUDICE FLEXIBLE DISPENSING NOZZLE FOR USE IN AN AUTOMATIC BAG FILLING MACHINE Filed March 27, 1968 yac'uum United States Patent O M 3,507,422 FLEXIBLE DISPENSING NOZZLE FOR USE IN AN AUTOMATIC BAG FILLING MACHINE Bobby G. Judice, Port Neches, Tex., assignor to Texaco Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 27, 1968, Ser. No. 716,453 Int. Cl. B65d 3/20 U.S. Cl. 222-529 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flexible dispening nozzle with a normally open discharge end for use in an automatic bag making and filling machine which extrudes measured amounts of a fluent plastic composition such as gear grease into polyethylene bags, the filling being interrupted when negative or aspirating pressure is applied on the nozzle causing immediate collapse thereof and closure of the open end, thus preventing dripping of the composition, thereby assuring proper sealing of the filled bags.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the dispensing of thick plastic lubricating compositions into plastic receptacles which are compatible therewith to serve as lubricants when used in toto. Desired amounts of the lubricating composition are metered into plastic bags which are formed prior to and during the filling process, as the filled bags are detached.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Bag making and filling machines for filling plastic receptacles such as bags with metered quantities of thick fluids have dispensing nozzles made of metal. Air actuated valves time the metering operation with the bag making and filling. Upon completion of the metering phase, an aspirating force is used to pull back the fluid being dispensed from the tip of the nozzle to prevent dripping. If dripping of the fluid is not prevented, the plastic bag cannot be sealed properly because of the fluid contacting the edges of the filled bags. Even though the negative pressure imposed will withdraw much of the heavy viscous fluid from the dispensing mandrel, some compounds are so thick that the suction control does not operate to prevent residual dripping from steel nozzles, so that raising of the temperature of the compound being dispensed for proper pullback control is required. However, some of these raised temperatures are so high that the plastic bags do not seal properly.

One structure which discloses how dispensed fluids can be stopped from dripping is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 of US. Patent No. 2,778,534, the dispensing nozzles being closed normally.

This disclosure solves the dripping problem by another combination of elements, operating in the opposite manner, viz., from normally open discharge end on the dispensing nozzle to anti-drip closed end upon application of negative pressure.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to the application of a flexible dispensing nozzle, e.g. one made of an elastomer such as neoprene, to a filling machine which extrudes measured quantities of a fluent, plastic material, the nozzle collapsing to cut off the flow by application of a vacuum in the filling system cooperating with a metering device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a general diagrammatic view of the apparatus in use;

FIGURE 2 is a cross section taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2a is a cross section taken along line 2a2a of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of the flexible nozzle;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal cross section view of the nozzle; and

FIGURE 5 shows how the dispensing nozzle looks When in closed anti-drip position.

Referring specifically to FIG. 1, the bag filling machine is disclosed generally at 10, comprising the dispensing assembly at 11 and a control assembly at 12, consisting of a metering device at 13 and an aspirator or vacuum source at 14, the function of both of these being described later.

The dispensing assembly includes the nozzle line comprising an outer hollow cylindrical mandrel at 15 and the discharge line at 16. A supporting bracket at 17 joined to the outer mandrel holds a centering annular ring at 18, and a sealing heater is disclosed at 19, with the flexible dispensing nozzle 20 positioned at the end of the discharge line. A continuous cylindrical polyethylene bag disclosed generally at 21, with closed end thereof shown being partially filled at 21a, is formed from a roll of polyethylene 22 which is passed around a series of rollers 23, and into the annulus between the outer mandrel 15 and past the centering annular ring 18, with an overlap occurring as indicated at the top edge of the outer mandrel as it passes inwardly, shown indicated by dotted lines and in larger scale in FIG. 2. As the overlapped polyethylene passes through the annulus between the ele ments 15 and 16, heat is applied by means of the heater 19 to seal the overlapping edges and form the longitudinal seal, as indicated in the cross section view of FIG. 2a.

When the operation starts, the beginning of the roll of polyethylene is fed through the annulus by hand until it emerges adjacent the flexible nozzle 20, whereupon the open end is sealed by means of the heater and cutter elements at 24, the operation of which will be described later, A polyethylene bag or receptacle which has been filled with dispensed fluid is disclosed at 21b.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are different views of the dispensing nozzle 20 in its normal condition with its discharge end open. Generally, it has a cylindrical body, which tapers from the open attaching end toward the normally open discharge end, with a reinforcement shown as a reentry curve construction 20a, although other forms of the reinforcement to serve as closure aids can be used.

The closed or anti-drip position of the dispensing nozzle 20 is shown in FIG. 5, where the reinforced edge 20a comes together, when sufficient aspiration or negative pressure is applied in the system, in accordance with the metering program.

In the operation of the system, as mentioned before, the polyethylene is threaded through the annulus between the cylindrical mandrel 15 and the discharge line 16, past the centering annular ring at 18, until it emerges by the dispensing nozzle 20, where the open end is sealed by means of the heater and cutter action. Thereafter as a heavy grease or lubrication compound for use in traction gears is metered by means actuated by the product flow (not shown), the bag making, filling and detaching progresses automatically. At the appropriate time, when a metered quantity of the grease compound has been discharged through the nozzle 20, the heating and cutting members 24 having moved to a position below the dispensing nozzle 20, the aspirator imposes a negative pressure on the system, withdrawing the heavy compound being dispensed from the nozzle 20 and the discharge line immediately adjacent thereto,

causing the nozzle to collapse to the configuration disclosed in FIG. 5. The heater and cutter elements then clamp onto the continuous bag 21 and move downwardly, pulling the polyethylene bag which has been formed previously within the annulus and at the appropriate bottom position for the members 24, the filled bag 21b is detached by being cut ofl for packaging. This series of up and down movements of the heater and cutter elements, after clamping onto the continuous bag 21, serves to pull the polyethylene off the roll while the bags are being made continuously, filled and detached, ready to be packaged.

Thus, there has been shown and described how a negative pressure applied at the conclusion of the filling cycle using the flexible dispensing nozzle completely eliminates dripping even when filling with the more viscous compounds, with an extra advantage that such packaging can occur at the relatively low temperature of 145, whereas previous packaging temperatures were at times close to 170, resulting in difficult bag sealing problems. The plastic receptacles are now seated with little or no difliculty, and production time has been extended because of minimum shut down.

I claim:

1. In combination with a container filling device dispensing a predetermined quantity of plastic fluid from a discharge mandrel in accordance with a metering cycle and aspirating means to withdraw said fluid therefrom, the improvement comprising a flexible dispensing nozzle with a normally open discharge end, said nozzle being responsive to said aspirating means providing negative pressure to collapse said open end of said discharge nozzle to provide an anti-drip configuration to shut off further fluid flow therethrough.

2. In an apparatus for forming receptacles and for dispensing predetermined amounts of a viscous fluid thereinto and having means for controlling the discharge flow thereof, the improvement comprising a flexible dispensing nozzle having a normally open discharge end and being responsive to negative pressure conditions to collapse said open end of said nozzle whereby fluid flow is cut olf therethrough, said apparatus including means for detaching filled receptacles of said viscous fluid.

3. In the apparatus as defined in claim 2, said dispensing nozzle having a general cylindrical configuration tapering toward said normally open discharge end and having reinforcement there about, said nozzle being an elastomer.

4. In an apparatus as defined in claim 2, said viscous fluid comprising a lubricating compound and said receptacles being composed of polyethylene compatible therewith for lubricating purposes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,789,959 1/1931 Fedeler 222490 X 2,288,565 6/1942 Green 137525.1 X 2,549,327 4/1951 Moule 53--28 2,747,346 5/1956 Tigerman et a1 5328 3,303,800 2/1967 Young 137-218 X 3,342,208 9/1967 Steffes 137525 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner N. L. STACK, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 53182; 137-48 

